Australian Masters Athletics Championships Cancelled ; Long Recovery Run on Forest Trails
This morning Australian Masters Athletics Championships were cancelled. It wasn't unexpected. Plan C is to continue to prepare for ACT Masters 5000m next Thursday 26 March and Stromlo 8000m XC handicap on 29 March. Sessions already planned for Tuesday and Thursday this week, Saturday 21 March and Monday 23 March will focus on the 5000m.
In April I will begin a normal periodisation running cycle again aiming for the next big event that doesn't get cancelled. At some point Parkrun events will be postponed until the virus is under control. We only have two recorded cases in the ACT, both this weekend. It's still a few weeks off I think. I feel safe running Parkruns on a loop course, usually finishing in the top 2. I'll make my way back to Gungahlin, loop course and the fastest course in ACT when I can.
Periodisation:
Periodisation is an old concept. Many athletes use it to some extent in preparing for a big race or series of races. Since 2009 I've (along with my friends) used 7 sequential training blocks similar to those used by Moroccan distance runners in a yearly cycle culminating with the Australian Masters Athletics Championships.
I translated the information on periodisation used by Moroccan distance running as best I could without alteration. They are posted elsewhere in this blog in detail. The first two training blocks last six months. They are characterised by building a base with high volume (120km per week on average for me), long intervals or tempo runs at or below maximum threshold and hills for strength and later power. No more than 3-4 hard sessions are done each week. After six weeks of the first block we are in great shape again, ready to race anything from 5km to a half-marathon. There are very few races in these training blocks.
There are two competition periods in the cycle, one usually before Christmas (like a World Championship), the other in March or April (Australian Championship). These two competition periods have two blocks (direct preparation and competitions). In between the two competition blocks is another base building block, usually done over the Christmas break. During the competition blocks lasting no more than three to four weeks each volume is reduced by one third (80km per week for me). It takes at least 10 days to taper into good racing form. Generally the only 100% racing that is done is within the two 3-4 week competition windows. Outside this any races are used as training (at a slower pace or done as intervals).
Since I have already done two months of base work including many long tempo runs at over 130km/week I can skip to the key winter long interval sessions in April-September? Typically they are 6,5,4,3,2,1 minute efforts, 1-2 minutes recovery or 5 x 3 minute efforts, 1 minute recovery. Volume is around 120km/week.
Sessions are more complex when peaking during the competition phase. The 6,5,4,3,2,1 becomes 2000m,1500m,1200,800m,400m. The 5 x 3 minute efforts become 5 x 600m, 400m recovery or 5 x 800m, 200m recovery. A variety of other intervals are done as well.
This afternoon was an easy recovery run on forest trails.
In April I will begin a normal periodisation running cycle again aiming for the next big event that doesn't get cancelled. At some point Parkrun events will be postponed until the virus is under control. We only have two recorded cases in the ACT, both this weekend. It's still a few weeks off I think. I feel safe running Parkruns on a loop course, usually finishing in the top 2. I'll make my way back to Gungahlin, loop course and the fastest course in ACT when I can.
Periodisation:
Periodisation is an old concept. Many athletes use it to some extent in preparing for a big race or series of races. Since 2009 I've (along with my friends) used 7 sequential training blocks similar to those used by Moroccan distance runners in a yearly cycle culminating with the Australian Masters Athletics Championships.
I translated the information on periodisation used by Moroccan distance running as best I could without alteration. They are posted elsewhere in this blog in detail. The first two training blocks last six months. They are characterised by building a base with high volume (120km per week on average for me), long intervals or tempo runs at or below maximum threshold and hills for strength and later power. No more than 3-4 hard sessions are done each week. After six weeks of the first block we are in great shape again, ready to race anything from 5km to a half-marathon. There are very few races in these training blocks.
There are two competition periods in the cycle, one usually before Christmas (like a World Championship), the other in March or April (Australian Championship). These two competition periods have two blocks (direct preparation and competitions). In between the two competition blocks is another base building block, usually done over the Christmas break. During the competition blocks lasting no more than three to four weeks each volume is reduced by one third (80km per week for me). It takes at least 10 days to taper into good racing form. Generally the only 100% racing that is done is within the two 3-4 week competition windows. Outside this any races are used as training (at a slower pace or done as intervals).
Since I have already done two months of base work including many long tempo runs at over 130km/week I can skip to the key winter long interval sessions in April-September? Typically they are 6,5,4,3,2,1 minute efforts, 1-2 minutes recovery or 5 x 3 minute efforts, 1 minute recovery. Volume is around 120km/week.
Sessions are more complex when peaking during the competition phase. The 6,5,4,3,2,1 becomes 2000m,1500m,1200,800m,400m. The 5 x 3 minute efforts become 5 x 600m, 400m recovery or 5 x 800m, 200m recovery. A variety of other intervals are done as well.
This afternoon was an easy recovery run on forest trails.
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